


Understanding One Another

by TheaBA12



Series: Another Story [6]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gen, Max Goofy (Mentioned), Mentioned Aqua (Kingdom Hearts), Mentioned Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Mentioned Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Webby Vanderquack (Mentioned) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22299055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheaBA12/pseuds/TheaBA12
Summary: Strelitzia feels worthless and Kairi comes to talk to her.
Relationships: Kairi & Strelitzia (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Another Story [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561492
Kudos: 6





	Understanding One Another

It was supposed to be a simple trip.

Strelitzia froze as the Bear Heartless brought down its huge claws. Suddenly, Vanitas jumped out of nowhere and covered her. He held her and the claws dug into his back. The Heartless didn’t stop and she screamed.

She screamed for him to let go but he couldn’t do anything else. Taking the pain, to protect her.

The stupid, worthless, coward!

Then light appeared as Namine with a new keyblade in hand jumped into the air. A four pointed star appeared behind her and thunder struck the Heartless. Then multiple copies of herself appeared and she struck the Bear Heartless. 

Strelitzia couldn’t hear as Webby and Max shouted at her. Webby trying to heal Vanitas, who was barely responding. Strelitzia looked down at him as his eyes looked back at her.

Her hands and clothes covered in black blood. She stared in complete horror at him.

“Are...y-you...okay?” He asked.

She bursted into tears.

“Yes, you shouldn’t have!” She cried.

He gave a weak smile. 

“That’s good…”

He then fainted. 

It all happened too fast for Strelitzia. She hugged Vanitas and attempted to heal as best as she could but it wasn’t working. The wounds were for some reason refusing to heal. She didn’t realize the group of people rushing to them. She hadn’t noticed Namine collapsing after defeating the Heartless. 

All Strelitzia did was cling onto Vanitas even as those around tried to help.

I’m worthless.

XXX

As thy arrived to the Land of Departure, Aqua carried Vanitas quickly to the castle. Roxas followed at a slower pace with Namine unconscious in his arms and still holding onto her new keyblade. 

Strelitzia stood simply as everyone tried to offer aid in whatever manner. She couldn’t take it though.

“Strelitzia!”

She ignored the call and ran away from the group. She cried as she couldn’t hold back all the feelings she was feeling deep within herself. 

The guilt, anger, frustration and uselessness of having caused all this. 

It was a simple request. 

She had wanted to visit a world because she was bored just sitting all day at home. Don’t get her wrong that she was ungrateful for the life she was living now. But she got a taste of a bit of the old life she lived or at least from what she recalled.

“Come on. I’m sure we can visit a world and be back before you know it,” She pleaded.

Namine was considering her offer but Vanitas looked concerned. Yes, indeed Vanitas was definitely concerned in getting into trouble. After all, he and Aqua had started to bond a lot and he’s been trying to be on his best behavior.

“But how would we go? I mean I can only open dark corridors which isn’t good for Webby and Max,” 

Strelitzia summoned her keyblade and waved it around.

“I think I can get the hang of it,”

Vanitas still looked doubtful before Strelitzia hugged him.

“Bunni, please! I know I used to go to a lot of worlds before not just sit all day. Besides, our teamwork is top notch and I got you!” She pleaded.

Vanitas had an odd look on his face. Almost, like he understood the feeling and finally relented.

“Alright. A little sneaking away doesn’t hurt,”

Strelitzia squealed before hugging the other tighter.

Xxx

So, much for having his back thought Strelitzia bitterly.

It had been all good until the Bear Heartless appeared and attacked. It had been too much for them. Vanitas spent too much energy on Unversed and slowed down in his moves. Namine was limited with her staff since she had no keyblade. Max and Webby were still too new to combat and got tired too soon. She had frozen up like a statue.

The minute it swiped up its claws had made Strelitzia freeze up when it stood over her. She couldn’t understand why fear had stopped her.

Because of her, Vanitas was badly hurt. Namine had to take on the Heartless alone with all her strength. 

She ended up getting protected instead and at the cost of her friends.

She stopped at the edge of the Mountain path and hid in one of the stone chairs. She pulled her knees up and hid her face. She sobbed even harder and wished now that she stayed in the Final World. This way they wouldn’t have ended up with a weak friend.

Why did she freeze up, when she had participated in so many battles? 

What good was the super strength she had been able to receive through her revival?

When was she going to stop being so weak?

Eventually, her sobs died down completely and then only silence. She didn’t feel ready to go see anyone. 

Suddenly, a hand rested upon her shoulder. She peeked to see it was Kairi, who smiled at her gently. 

“Vanitas, is going to be okay. Namine healed him though she fainted again after that,” Kairi told.

Strelitzia merely nodded before hiding her face again in her arms. Kairi sat patiently next to her but said nothing. A companionable silence followed and both pure lights let it be. 

“You know, when Sora disappeared I blamed myself,”

Strelitzia looked up from her arms around her knees. 

“I had just gotten a keyblade and even had training,” Kairi explained.

“Then I told Sora that I keep him safe,” Kairi continued.

Strelitzia watched as Kairi’s eyes suddenly become tearful. Even so, she held back the tears.

“But in the end, Sora saved me again and did everything in his power to keep me safe at a heavy cost,” 

Strelitzia looked down but placed a hand on Kairi’s own. Kairi held on tightly to her hand. 

“In the beginning, all I did was blame myself. Always, questioning why I couldn’t be so many things,”

“But it wasn’t helping me to think only on what I could’ve been,” Kairi said, “Sora didn’t protect me so I wallow in despair. What I have to do is do is the next right thing.”

Strelitzia looked confused, “The next right thing?”

“To take the next step forward. We have to rise up and work to get stronger and make sure to not let their sacrifice be in vain. I know Sora is out there and I’m going to find him,”

Strelitzia couldn’t help but be amazed. Kairi always looked so strong and happy but deep down she gone through her own darkness. Now, she shared it with Strelitzia of all people who wasn’t too close with the others. Then she shared her hope.

“You’ve been through a lot. I’m so sorry,” Strelitzia apologized.

Kairi laughed, “So, have you! Namine told me,”

Strelitzia thought back to her still blurry memories.

“I don’t know why but a while back I can remember I had been too scared to talk to someone. I let my fear get the better of me and before I knew it I…”

Kairi understood.

“I’m not brave. But today was just...Vanitas...he didn’t even want to go,”

“Even so, he protected you. He wanted to protect you which says a lot cause Vanitas can be a jerk,”

“He is not,” Strelitzia argued.

“See! Right there you’re standing up to me for Vanitas. I say you’re pretty brave for that! Friends who defend their friends are brave. It’s true you weren’t able to in the past but look at the you of now!”

Strelitzia sniffed a bit before chuckling. Perhaps, she had changed in time and maybe she had yet to see but if Kairi sees perhaps there was hope. 

“Maybe...I just had to go through this too,” Strelitzia agreed.

Suddenly, a Mandrake appeared before them. It jumped to Strelitzia’s knees and nuzzled her.

“He’s okay,”

“I told you,”

Strelitzia smiled in thanks to Kairi before standing up and wiping her eyes. 

“Kairi, your words meant a lot. I have friends now unlike before and I was able to speak to them. I have to train harder so I can protect my friends,” Strelitzia expressed.

Kairi nodded and winked at her. With that the pair shared a hug and Strelitzia rushed off to check on Vanitas. 

Kairi watched before turning to look at the sky. She held her hand over her heart and close her eyes.

“Never forget...I’m not giving up on you,”

Kairi then left to join her friends with hope in her heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration in a lot of lines was Next Right Thing from Frozen. That song fits Kairi so much!


End file.
